***Raise your hand if you have been personally victimized by Social Media***
My hand is raised and it is raised high.
Social Media is probably the easiest and hottest new way to stay connected to strangers, friends, crushes, and celebrities. At the palm of our hands, we can access these apps that give us first class seats into the lives of people we are interested in. (If you are anything like me, it is Sadie and Mary Kate Robertson... hashtag love them).
Most of my hours are consumed by scrolling through Instagram and refreshing my feed every ten minutes or closing each app and reopening it back up two minutes later. Our lives are being fed by the endless entertainment provided at the access of good wifi and free time.
As Social Media has blown up over the years, you can literally search, follow, like, retweet, and pin things you are interested in. If you are into fitness, fashion, makeup, Faith and Religion, celebrities, and sports, there are several accounts you might obsess over. With the growth of Social Media, we are also exposing ourselves to staged photos, false realities, lust, and a ton of insecurities.
I do not know about you, but I know for a fact I struggle with insecurity and fall into body shaming real quick. After spending maybe two hours investigating lives of strangers, I cannot help but feel like I have discovered a model in the making. These individuals not only have the best Instagram feeds, but they are filled with their fancy cars, hunky husbands/boyfriends, to die for wardrobes, but also bodies that are sculpted perfectly to almost unrealistic standards.
As I ended up drooling over this idealistic lifestyle, I could not help but be reminded of the skin I was living in. Bending over, I am constantly reminded of the extra weight I carry or how I will be skipping another swimsuit season. Getting ready for the morning or going out at night, the reflection I see in the mirror is just another reminder that I do not have the perfect hair, skin, wardrobe, and figure that is desired. I hear the voice inside my head saying, "You will always be chosen last", "You will never change", "No one will want you".
Phrase after phrase, I believed every single one of them.
My Instagram feed became more pictures of quotes. My Pinterest flooded with fitness, diet, and motivation pins. My Twitter consisted of emotional tweets. My Facebook saw fewer Selfies and more pictures of nature. I was ashamed of who I was. My dream of marrying a guy with a man bun, living in a charming home and becoming a sought after Photographer only became a fantasy as I watched my life fade before my eyes. Afternoons with friends soon turned into binge watching Netflix and consuming sweets to mask my pain.
One day a flip switched.
I was aware of my unhappiness and I was determined to find its core. I searched high and low and discovered my distorted mindset came from the overconsumption of Social media. I was being filled up with toxins that only brought me down. I was not taking care of myself the way I should have and it was time to change.
I stormed to my mirror and dreadfully came face to face with my reflection. Instead of looking into my dark eyes, I finally made a connection to the person I was seeing. I was reminded of who I was. I was someone who was worthy, beautiful, desirable, and unique. The voices in my head that normally drowned my esteem turned into words of life.
A small whisper said, "You are altogether beautiful, my darling; there is no flaw in you" -Song of Solomon 4:7.
For the first time, I heard the truth. I was reminded of the word of God, the foundation of which everything I believe in was founded on.
So often we fall victim of letting the voice of the enemy tell us who we are. His voice lurks in the back of our minds telling us everything we want to believe about ourselves. He is full of lies. He is desperate for us to eat the forbidden fruit. It could be lust, materialism, envy, gluttony, lying, pride, self-centeredness and more. Each of these he is daunting in front of you, hoping you will latch onto.
There is hope though.
"The thief comes to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." John 10:10.
This verse is a reminder of what the enemy is after. He is wanting to steal your joy, kill your self-esteem, and destroy your confidence and ultimately you. (This goes for anything you might struggle with!!!) but fear not, God says: "I have come that they might have life, and have it to the full." He alone is our knight in shining armor. Christ died on the cross so that all our sins would be forgiven. He died so that we could live eternally for him. He died so that no matter what satan tries to do, we are always victorious with God.
Next time you get on social media, remember who you are.
You are beautiful. You are loved. You are worthy. You are wanted. You are desired. Social media does not get to dictate how you feel. I pray the in the midst of that discovery, you know the truth. Instagram bios, filters, and how many likes you get are not your worth. Your worth is found in Jesus and who he says you are.
"Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is great worth in God's sight."- 1 Peter 3:3
"You are altogether beautiful my darling, there is no flaw in you" -Songs of Solomon 4:7
Attached below is a link to an ebook written by Katie Pezzutto, a fellow team member of mine. She sheds light to eating disorders and her personal experience. Katie discusses the process of freedom and the beauty revealed in the midst of the healing of Anorexia and Bulimia, a few of which she struggled with. It is an incredible read. Check it out here!
